This came up after our last trip to the Gatlinburg area a few weeks ago.
Should collected tourism funds go mainly toward sponsoring events, such as ones that try to bring in people from farther than 75 miles from town, to try to get them to stay in town for a few days? Or, for smaller, more locally oriented activities, and some types of sporting events?
Is it for advertising, for in town types, such as banners for seasonal issues (xmas, spring, summer, ads, etc.) or for out of town oriented uses, such as magazines, newspapers, and such.
The example which made us think of this, was they were putting up all the lights and decorations in the Pigeon Forge, G-burg area. That alone draws tourism, some day trips, others overnighters.
Prior to this trip, a few months ago, our daughter had an event at the convention center downtown G-Burg. Several hundred folks and their kids attended, and almost all stayed the weekend. Big bucks spent there.
And, the more we thought of it, we go to at least 3 car shows a year there.
I'm not meaning to slam anyone here, it's just the more we talked about this with other people, the more diverse ideas and suggestions we heard as to what people think about what Tourism really is.
Some of the issues are obvious, attact people, they stay, spend money, and leave. That's fine.
Take the food network for example. A tremendous station. We watch it all the time. We particularly love the various food festivals shown on some of the shows. BB-Q, Seafood, Steak, Pies, Cakes, even Cornbread festivals. They have tremendous followings.
That said, Corbin could have a Chili Festival. I'm sure there is another one somewhere, but, not that I've heard of. The Dixie Chili comes to mind, White's Billiards, Country Cafe, as well as some of the other local cooks chili I've had at the various fund raisers. Just a thought.
Truly, and without malice, what does "Tourism" mean to you.
A chili cookoff? Are you serious? Is this really what we are looking for as far as tourism? Dont get me wrong, I love chili, but to have a chili cookoff as a tourism event sounds a little bleak.
A gun and boat show is a huge attraction over in somerset. We have the same resource in water and hunting locations, so that would be a neat event.
A car show would work here too, like they do in Gatlinburg. GB Customs and several other custom shops in this area have been featured in magazines, so it wouldnt be a far fetched idea.
With all the mountains and scenery we are blessed with, somebody should get a hot air ballon rally here. Imagine hot air ballons going across the falls scenery. Wouldnt that be awesome.
These type of events would bring big dollar spenders to the area. A food event doesnt seem to have that much draw in my opinion.
I think a chili cookoff is a good idea, along with other events like boat and gun shows, music events, movie nights, bicycle races, food festivals and many others. These are all good ideas, and are all pieces of the the overall big picture.
To the previous poster, if you don't think a chili cookoff is right for you, don't attend. There are no bad ideas.
A chili cookoff? Are you serious? Is this really what we are looking for as far as tourism? Dont get me wrong, I love chili, but to have a chili cookoff as a tourism event sounds a little bleak.
You need to watch the Food Network, and see how may "tourism visitors" come to them. They're huge. Also, BB-Q cookoffs, Pie contests, and many more. Thousands flock in. There's a "cornbread festival" (its on the internet, google it) just outside of Chananooga that brings in a ton of visitors.
But there's other things too. Like one person said, there's no bad idea.
I apologize. I agree every idea is a good idea. I do not watch the food network but rather mostly sports, so after mentioning this to my wife, she squared me up on how big these types of food festivals are in other areas. I did see the hot dog eating contest on espn no to long ago.
OK sorry if I offended you about the chili cookoff but it could be combined with other events maybe even an event for Nibroc. Anyway your idea about a gun and boat show and maybe travel trailers, etc, is an excellent idea with our area lake and forest there are lots of tourists who come to this area to fish, boat, hunt, & camp.
I think a chili cookoff is a good idea, along with other events like boat and gun shows, music events, movie nights, bicycle races, food festivals and many others. These are all good ideas, and are all pieces of the the overall big picture.
To the previous poster, if you don't think a chili cookoff is right for you, don't attend. There are no bad ideas.
Great comment, and unfortunately we don't have enough "Big Picture" thinkers on this board when it comes to tourism. Some of the decisions made on this board really leaves you wondering. I have also followed through this message board this idea a few people have about only city folks being allowed to serve on these boards, but the first criteria should be do they know anything about the industry they are going to serve on? I look at the tourism board members and it is clear some of them know absolutely nothing about the tourism industry.
Seems that some of these folks are put on not because they have any knowledge of tourism or desire to grow Corbin's tourism, but as political favors or to help stack the vote deck. It's time to clean up and right the ship.
The Jeep Jamboree is huge for Williamsburg, and I wouldn't want to steal their thunder, but, we could do a joint effort. When it's in town, all their hotel rooms are full, and this year, many overflowed into corbin. They could add a day, and have a big meeting or show in the civic cener lot.
A small type golf equipment show would be good, even though our number of golf courses are limited.
The possibilities are unlimited.
The food things are huge. Corbin used to get the "Taste of Home" cooking demonstrations, but we lost it to london. We could get it back. I went to all of them, and they bring in at least 2000+ people every day.
Not to slam our tourism committee, but, this is tourism, and this is what tourism is supposed to be doing. THe committee is supposed to be lining things like this up, and putting them on.
To me, it means bringing people from the outside into our area to stay for a few days for whatever event you are sponsoring, and to make them want to come back.
It's not about sponsoring ball leagues for locals only in my opinion. Sure it's nice to be able to do so, but the above post talking about the Williamsburg Jeep Jamboree is a good example. We should be joining them, W'burg, in promoting this. We don't want to take away their thunder, but we should join them, and help promote it and try to entice some of the participants to come to corbin. They do anyway, but, even more.
